Punalu’u Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii United States of America

Black Sand Beach (also known as Punalu’u Beach) is famous for its black sands. This beach is conveniently located on the big island of Hawaii. The charcoal black sand comes from the lava of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The lava flows into the ocean from the active volcanoes, explodes once it makes contact with the cool salt water, and then cools off into the dark-colored solid pieces that eventually wash up onto the beach. The beach is also well-known for attracting endangered green turtles, which enjoy sunbathing on the warm black sand. The sand itself is gritty like hundreds of tiny black pebbles, making for a unique beach trip.